But the Marlies coach didn’t want his de facto No. 1 goalie wrestling trespassers and getting a double minor. With Jussi Rynnas (3-0-0-1) out up to two weeks with a groin injury, Ben Scrivens has to be judicious about when to fight back.

“It’s one of those things where emotions get the best of you,” said Scrivens, high in the story line in Saturday’s 6-1 win over Hamilton, despite facing just 16 shots. “But if you have a guy laying on you a couple of times ... sometimes the gray line is pushed a bit when we’re playing Hamilton.”

Scrivens tangled with Brendan Gallagher of the Bulldogs, who was later tagged with a goaltender interference minor. Scrivens was shaking his head later on when ex-Leaf Darryl Boyce crashed into him and knocked his new stylized Leafs mask off. Eakins has complained before about Hamilton using Scrivens for target practice.

“It’s clearly their game plan is to go after him. Maybe they were watching the Norfolk series last year (when the Calder Cup champions were constantly in his face). Every game, right from the exhibitions, Hamilton has been coming through that crease a lot.

“I thought we were patient, but at some point the frustration level will get high enough where I’m sure he wants to get a shot in.”

Last year’s rock in net, Scrivens, was beaten five times on 28 shots in Friday’s game at Copps Coliseum and has had a couple of long nights this season. Rynnas, meanwhile, entered the weekend eighth among AHL goalies with a 1.93 goals-against average and just out of the top five in save percentage at .938. Now it’s up to Scrivens for five or six games, though Eakins plans to get Mark Owuya in a couple of starts.

“Ben has had some bad luck. We’ve had nights where he has played well and we haven’t scored. And there are some nights he’d like some goals back. He’s starting to get his fire back. He’s starting to understand his work and his attention to detail will never end. He may have gotten a little comfortable, but for the most part, he has had a whole lot of bad luck.”

Junkyard dogs

There were 121 minutes in penalties on Saturday at Ricoh, with the Marlies determined to atone for dragging their butts around Copps on Friday at the end of eight straight road games. Joe Colborne and Will Acton were in fights, Colborne getting bopped by Gabriel Dumont and having to leave the game.

“(Friday) was a hard one to swallow,” Eakins said. “It was either say ‘poor me’, or say ‘screw that, we’re pushing back’.”

The Marlies weren’t angels, but Eakins called Zack Stortini’s attack on Kenny Ryan “about as cowardly a play as you will see. The guy is down, he’s covering up and he’s still pounding away. Eight times I counted.”

Kadri, Aucoin catch fire

Nazem Kadri led the way with four assists for the Marlies, giving him 10 points the past four games. He still feels the sting of being benched last week for one game on the Texas road trip.

“I wasn’t happy, but it’s not like I’m going to sit and pout about it,” Kadri said. “I’m going to come back. I’m finally starting to get a few bounces.”

Last week, Keith Aucoin was lamenting he’d never gone nine games without a goal, but Saturday saw the veteran forward getting all kinds of passes to try and complete a hat trick. Aucoin’s two goals came in his 14th game, the only forward not to be a healthy scratch so far.

“You have to pace yourself, especially playing three in three nights,” said Aucoin, who leads the Marlies with 14 points. “I don’t feel 34, I feel 24.”

Leo still at Ricoh

Leo Komarov was not carrying out his hockey gear or even an Aeroflot duty free bag out of Riocoh on Saturday. Two days after reports he was on his way back to the KHL and Dynamo Moscow, the Finn is still in the lineup and scored the game’s opening goal.

Eakins explained after the game that the winger won’t be leaving unless his KHL contract is clarified that he can come back to the NHL and join the Leafs after the lockout. Eakins offered to take him out of the lineup and just keep practising until the matter is solved, but said Komarov wouldn’t hear of it.

Komarov could leave as Marlies’ leading goal scorer. His sixth on Saturday moved him one up on Jake Gardiner.

Marlie Minutiae

When Scrivens was wrestling Gallagher, he didn’t notice Hamilton goalie Robert Mayer crossing centre ice to join the fray, restrained by the officials. “That’s the last thing I wanted,” said Scrivens, who has never been in a goalie vs. goalie scrap. “You don’t want to break a hand or twist a knee.” ... The long-time defensive pairing of Korbinian Holzer and Mark Fraser were split on Saturday. Eakins said he did it after an honest assessment from young Jesse Blacker that he might work better with Fraser than new partner Paul Ranger. Fraser scored and Blacker had a good game ... Forwards Mike Zigomanis and Carter Ashton were given the day off as part of a plan to keep things fresh with three games in three days. That leaves the defensive pairing of Mike Kostka and Gardiner and Aucoin as the only Marlies to play all 14 games ... Wendel Clark was on hand at Ricoh to promote a Movember t-shirt drive by MLSE. Clark’s moustache is featured on the shirt with proceeds going to prostate cancer research ... Attendance was 7,851 in the first home game since Oct. 26, announced as sellout, but just below actual capacity ... Calgary’s farm team the Abbotsford Heat (10-1-1) are at Ricoh on Sunday at 3 p.m., after sweeping Toronto a couple of weeks ago.